The question is: Were the sets which were introduced in April 1924 - Radiolas III, IIIA, Regenoflex, X, Superheterodyne and Super VIII - simply delayed from fall 1923, or, was there a whole range of receivers planned but never manufactured? Now we know the answer.Īt the New England Antique Radio Club (NEARC) Fall Swap Meet in October 1998, John Terrey showed me a fascinating piece of literature that he had acquired at the meet.
This explained why RCA had introduced its new model range in April 1924 instead of in October 1923 which would have been in time for the lucrative Christmas selling season.
RCA VICTOR RADIO WITH PHONO JACK SERIES
During the late 1970s, I wrote a series of articles for Radio Age entitled "The Radiola Superheterodyne Story." While researching this series, I learned that RCA's entire Christmas season model range for 1923 was canceled to allow all resources to be devoted to the perfection of the Radiola Superheterodyne. This is an article I've wanted to write for more than 20 years but the necessary background information was unavailable. As a result of your Editor's find - a 1923 RCA document outlining the 1924 broadcast receivers - this article solves the mystery. Why RCA introduced its new line of radios in April 1924 rather than in time for the 1923 Christmas season has long been a mystery to radio historians. Antique Radio Classified: Radio in the TwentiesīY JOHN P.